The Takoyaki Encounter
by The Gleameyes808
Summary: In an AU world where the characters of Devil Survivor 2 are turned into high school students, everyone's busy in the maid and butler cafe for the school festival. The problem is, Hibiki gets to wear the "maid" costume and he's not too happy about it! Enter Yamato and... Well, read on to find out!
1. Chapter 1: The Dreaded Maid Outfit

**The Takoyaki Encounter**

A/N: Yo, Gleam-eyes here! This is an AU fic dedicated to the Yamato x Hibiki fanbase! Characters, especially Hibiki, are OOC here. Hope its a good read for y'all! Ja ne! ;-)

"Word" = talking

*Word* = thinking

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Hibiki Kuze exclaimed while looking down at the ridiculous outfit he was made to wear for their class's offering in this year's school festival. This year, Class 3-A at Tsuutenkaku High is featuring a Maid-and-Butler cafe. Unfortunately, a girl from their class that was supposed to work as one of the maids fell sick just yesterday and can't come to school today. There were only a few girls in class and the rest were guys, and so the class decided the one who would fill up the absence was the most girly-looking guy. Unfortunately, that guy was Hibiki. And after a lot of coaxing and pleading, with Alcor even popping up unannounced at Hibiki's house, Hibiki promised to fill in for her.

"Oh, don't be so flustered, Shining One. I daresay it suits you very well." Alcor, organizer for the event said with his trademark little smirk.

"... I must say I agree with you, Alcor. " Yamato Hotsuin grudgingly commented, truly impressed with Alcor's design. Yamato was wearing a butler costume with a violet vest, a violet collar-tie, black slacks and a black coat with coattails. (Tico B's outfit)

"Why, you are quite welcome, Yamato Hotsuin." Alcor smiled mysteriously.

"Don't call me Shining One! And you're agreeing with him, Yamato?!" Hibiki wailed while tugging at the collar of the maid outfit he was wearing. Alcor got it on him so fast, he barely had time to protest after seeing it.

His outfit consisted of a white strapless one piece that was meant for someone with actual breasts, held up by some kind of modified black tuxedo that had only straps running over his shoulders, buttoned down over his abdomen with coattails hanging at the back. The aforementioned collar fastened snugly around his neck with a violet piece of cloth cut like a simple crown hanging upside down on it. Alcor even managed to put black stockings and gloves on him, and find a pair of knee-high white boots that fit him! (Think Tico-Tico's outfit, yeah that's right.)

"Hmm, not bad at all..." Yamato murmured, admiring Hibiki's flustered form.

Hibiki caught the highly appreciative glint in Yamato's eyes and shuddered. He turned away, blushing even redder than he thought possible.

"Are we forgetting something...?" Alcor muttered thoughtfully, hand going over his mouth like he usually does. "Oh yes, this."

Alcor smoothly placed a black bunny-ear headband on Hibiki's head then seemingly floated to Hibiki's back and put a white clip-on fluffy bunny tail at the back of Hibiki's outfit.

"What the-" Hibiki turned around, trying to see the additions Alcor put on his person. Whirling around, he caught sight of himself on a nearby full-length mirror. "Oh hell no..."

Yamato raised his hand to his mouth in a contemplative gesture, but in truth he was hiding his smile and a soft chuckle that left his lips. Hibiki looked so cute! *I suppose only he could look so good in bunny ears, as he always keeps on wearing his bunny-ear jacket.* Yamato snickered at the thought.

"Hey yo! I came to see what was causing the hold-up! Whoa...!" Daichi, clueless as usual, burst through the curtains of the changing room. Only to stop with an open-mouthed stare at his best friend.

"Daichi! Stop staring!" Hibiki's blush seemed to become permanent.

"Yes, Nishijima, aren't you supposed to take care of our food supplies?" Yamato shot a glare at Daichi.

"Yes, Sir!" Daichi yelped. Yamato always seems to have this effect on him. "Just went to see if everything was ready. We're about to start!" He scuttled out of the room.

"Well, its now or never, Shining One. Your time to shine!" Alcor's smirk was evident.

"NOOOOOOO!" Hibiki wailed.

"I'll go before you two. So use the moment to steel yourself, Shining One." Alcor said breezily. But as he passed Yamato, he gave him a look that said *assure him*. Not that he's worried that Hibiki won't go through with it, he knows Shining One never breaks his promises. But it was always other people that gave him strength, especially Yamato.

After Alcor left Hibiki was overcome with nerves. "...I don't think I can do it, Yamato." He mumbled.

Yamato crossed his arms. "Irrelevant. You have to do it because the whole class is counting on you." He said coldly.

Hibiki flinched at Yamato's tone and Yamato's eyes softened.

"Just think of it as if you're doing it for the benefit of everyone in the class. You always save the day when your friends are in trouble, don't you, Hibiki?" Yamato said reassuringly.

"Yeah... but this is as far away from boxing bullies, playing dodgeball, cooking chawanmushi or making takoyaki as it can get!" Hibiki exclaimed, but he was cheering up.

"True, true." Yamato acceded, with a mind to get some takoyaki later.

"Well, lets get this over with!" Hibiki finally got his nerve back.

Yamato smirked. *I knew you could do it.* And he held out his hand to Hibiki. "Let's go then."

Hibiki started and stared at Yamato's hand. *Well, this is unexpected.* But he took his hand after a heartbeat. Yamato led him outside where the class was gathered.

The class was going through various last-minute preparations for the maid cafe when Yamato and Hibiki came out, but everyone stopped what they were doing the moment the two stepped out.

For a moment no one said a word. Hibiki scanned the room and saw Daichi staring with an open mouth even if he already saw him in his outfit earlier. Then he realized he was still holding Yamato's hand. He let go of it and at that moment...

"SQUEEEEEEEEAAAAALLLLLL!" Somebody squealed a fangirl scream and Hibiki was suddenly surrounded by a deluge of people.

"H-Hibiki, you look nice in that." Io Nitta shyly commented.

"Oh my gosh, Hibiki, you look so good in that outfit! Alcor, how did you get him into that so fast?!" Hinako shouted over to Alcor over the din.

"It's a secret." Alcor's quiet voice carried over.

"Hibiki, would you like some chawanmushi?" No need to tell who said that one.

"Meowww!" Jungo the cat meowed.

"Ooh, Yamato liked that didn't he?" Otome quipped, winking suggestively at Hibiki and making Hibiki's blush return.

"Ahaha, you look so adorable right now, Hibiki! Ah, but wait, Daichi's the adorable one, you're... sexy." Joe commented airily.

"SAY WHAT?!" Daichi exclaimed.

"What the heck are you talking about, Joe?!" Airi shrieked while trying to whomp him.

"All right! That is enough!" Yamato commanded and everything, even Jungo the cat became quiet. "Everyone, man your stations and let's get this operation started!"

"Aye, aye sir!" Everybody saluted and they scrambled for what they were supposed to do.

Yamato glanced at Hibiki, who had not left his side and had lapsed into red-faced silence. He then reached out and squeezed Hibiki's hand briefly. "It will be okay. Just stand where you're supposed to and be... sexy." Yamato smirked while Hibiki blushed even redder. He then walked over to where he was stationed in their floor plan.

Hibiki watched Yamato walk away. He breathed a sigh and walked to where he was supposed to be. This made him near Keita, who was scowling as usual.

"So you got dragged into this too, eh, Keita?" Hibiki asked him.

"Pfeh, as if I'd willingly agree to something like this." Keita grudgingly answered. "But there's something creepy with Alcor when he gets up in your face like that and he said something like some girls finding my attitude cute. Like I know what that means!" Scowling, Keita ended his tirade.

Hibiki smiled. Finally, somebody who wasn't fawning over him in this stupid outfit! Then he noticed Makoto, Fumi and Otome standing at the corner. Makoto had her face covered up but he could see it was from embarassment and the other two seem to be comforting her. Belatedly, Hibiki realized that the one who let out the fangirl squeal earlier was probably Makoto. He chuckled at the fact that someone as calm and collected as Makoto was capable of making such a noise.

"Ya havin' a laugh on Makoto making that fangirl scream? Yeah, that was surprising too." Keita snickered. "This thing... think of it as payback for the bullies the other day." Keita blushed a bit and Hibiki's eyes widened at the sight. *He IS cute. And I'm not even a girl!*

"...By the way, nice outfit." Keita smirked.

It was Hibiki's turn to color up. *Was it too much to ask for someone not to mention the outfit?* Hibiki thought exasperatedly.

Just then their first customers arrived. A pair of girls that went straight to Yamato's table. They giggled as he approached them to take their order.

"How may I serve you today, ladies?" Yamato exuded impeccably and the girls giggled some more.

*Geez, I know Yamato is popular but these two better get a move on and give him their order already!* Hibiki thought scathingly but his thoughts were cut short as the next batch went to his table. The boy and the girl, a couple by the looks of it, ordered a couple of mixed drinks (non-alcoholic, of course) and Hibiki took their order up to the drinks bar.

"Hello, Hibiki, how are you holding up?" Ronaldo Kuriki, who is currently manning the drinks booth, inquired.

"Oh, so far, so good. Here, a couple of drinks for my table." Hibiki answered.

"Good thing you managed to take up slack after that crisis we had yesterday." Ronaldo said as he mixed juices.

"Yeah, well, tell me about it." Hibiki eye-rolled and Ronaldo chuckled.

"Here we are..." Ronaldo passed out the drinks "And hey, Hibiki, nice out-"

"Ronaldo, if someone says another word about what I'm wearing, I am going to scream." Hibiki said firmly. He heads out to his table, Ronaldo guffawing behind him. He notices Yamato glaring at Ronaldo. Yamato's heading toward him with his own order of drinks. *Oh boy... this is going to be awkward.* Hibiki sweatdropped.

The rest of the day continued as normally as it was with Fumi coming up and saying something to Hibiki that he had a feeling that was related to his outfit but it was so technical that he didn't think it counts.

"Hibiki!" Hibiki turned and saw Daichi jogging over to him on the momentary break when they both had no customers. "How are you?"

"I'm fine for most part. You?" Hibiki smiled.

"Yeah, I'm good. You seem to be doing fine even in your... condition." Daichi hastily improvised and Hibiki was grateful that he didn't mention the 'O' word. Just then another batch of giggling fangirls went over at Yamato's table and Hibiki can't help the surge of annoyance that permeated through him.

"So... Yamato, eh?" Daichi carefully voiced out.

"...Is it that obvious?" Hibiki sighed. He and Yamato have been going out for a month but it was only recently that Yamato started openly showing signs that they were together. Not that it wasn't noticeable before, with Yamato glaring at anyone that could be a prospective suitor who went up to talk to Hibiki.

"Yeah, pretty much, but he's still scary as hell." Daichi shuddered and Hibiki laughed. "You did tell me way back when it all started. What I did worry about was Io, she seemed pretty taken with you, and Makoto too, until she made that squeal worthy of a fangirl."

"Haha, that's true."

"And, I think you don't need to worry about Io, I think she's accepted that you and Yamato are an item. She didn't even look upset when you two got out of the dressing room holding hands."

"Thanks, man."

"No prob. Hey, I gotta go. Some guys got to my table." Daichi waved at Hibiki.

Hibiki leaned on his table and sighed. His mind drifted to the memories of a few months earlier... when he first met Yamato Hotsuin.


	2. Chapter 2: He doesn't know Takoyaki?

**CHAPTER 2**

~FLASHBACK~

Hibiki and Yamato had actually met before he transferred to Hibiki's school. During an outdoor dodgeball game with his friends, he noticed a handsome silver-haired guy sitting on a bench and observing them across the street. He was wearing the uniform of the highly exclusive Polaris University. He seemed to be focused at looking at their game, then sensing that someone was looking at him, he met eyes with Hibiki. His eyes were an intense gray and the way he was looking unfalteringly at him made Hibiki flush and break eye contact. After a while when the game ended, Hibiki glanced at where the guy was and was surprised that he was still there but now he was looking at the takoyaki stand beside the court. He said goodbye to his friends and went to get some takoyaki as he was getting hungry. To get home he had wait for the bus on the same bench the guy was seated. After awkwardly sitting for a while beside the strange observer, he decided to break the silence.

"Hey, you were watching us from the start of the dodgeball game from here?" Hibiki said in a questioning tone.

"...I take it that "Dodgeball" is the name of the game you were playing. Hmph, irrelevant." Yamato stated expressionlessly.

Hibiki was annoyed at the guy's attitude. *What is this guy's problem? And if he thought it was irrelevant, why did he see it through to the end?* Then he realizes that the man didn't know the game was called dodgeball. "You didn't know what it was called?" The man was silent.

Gritting his teeth, he tries to be cordial with the man. "How long have you been sitting here?" He asks, knowing that the game took about two hours.

The man sighed. "If you must know, I have been sitting here since 1000 hours."

Hibiki was flabbergasted. He checked his watch, it was 3:00 in the afternoon! *This guy has been sitting here for five hours on a school day!*

"Erm, shouldn't you be at your school?" He queried.

"That shouldn't be any of your concern..." The man was momentarily at a loss on how to address Hibiki.

"Hibiki. Hibiki Kuze."

"Kuze. That information is irrelevant to you." The man said coldly.

The guy was getting on Hibiki's nerves and he never got this angry at anybody before, even with Keita. He was about to take out some of his ire on the guy when he heard a low rumble emanating from said person. Hibiki realizes that its the man's stomach indicating its presence. He looked at the man's face and he could detect slight embarrassment before he schooled his face into being expressionless once more.

*So, he IS human, after all.* Hibiki thought, his anger dissipating.

"Here." Hibiki holds out the box of takoyaki with some octopus balls uneaten inside.

"...What is this?" The man tries to look intimidating but looks a bit wary.

"This is called takoyaki." Hibiki wonders if this is the first time this guy ever heard of takoyaki. Well, it wouldn't be surprising if he had only heard of dodgeball just now. Is Polaris U located in Tokyo or is it on a deserted island?

"I do not want that common junkfood." The man says arrogantly.

Hibiki rolled his eyes at the guy and shoved the box into his hands. *Why is he so difficult?* "Here, just take it. It's not poisoned. Try it, its delicious." Hibiki schooled his face into a smile.

The man stopped looking at the takoyaki box in his hands and stared at Hibiki. Hibiki stopped smiling and flushed. *There it is again, that intense gray stare.*

Just then, the bus rolled in and opened its doors. "Well, my bus is here." Hibiki stated and he stood, wanting to go away from the unsettling man and his unnerving stares. It was only when he was seated and the bus peeled away from the waiting station that he realized something. *I have never been so riled up than when I had been with that guy...*

The silver-haired man watched until the bus disappeared over the curve. He then took to looking at the takoyaki the boy with bright blue eyes left him and debating whether to eat it. In the end, his bodily needs won over and he lifted one ball to his mouth. *Hmph, what could possibly be good about this commoners'...*

His eyes widened in realization and he quickly emptied the contents of the box, chewing rapidly on his newfound discovery. He looked at the now empty box on his lap with a stunned expression and then at the direction of the long-gone bus.

A couple of weeks later...

"Class, I would like to introduce to you a new transfer student!" Class 3-A's homeroom teacher announced, looking excited for some reason. "He came from Polaris University and he has actually graduated from the university at the young age of seventeen! He stayed for a year at the school for dissertation work and now he's coming back for a high school education at Tsuutenkaku High!"

This started some muttering among the students, wondering why a prodigy would come back to study in high school when he's already graduated from university. Hibiki wasn't concerned but his mind's eye brought him back to him meeting some arrogant prick from that university at the bus station in front of the outdoor court. And then realizing that nothing and no one had been able to ruffle his feathers but that guy. *But he can't probably be related to the new transfer student-*

"Alright, class, let me introduce to you: Mr. Yamato Hotsuin!"

Silver shoulder-length hair, piercing gray eyes and a form that makes their school uniform look good enough for the runway, Mr. Arrogant Prick himself is the new transfer student.

"You!" Hibiki had unknowingly risen from his chair and is staring wide-eyed at the man who is about to change his life.

"Me." Yamato Hotsuin smirked at trepidation showing on Hibiki's face.


	3. Chapter 3: Captured with a smirk

**A/N: **Dun dun dunnn! Here's the highly anticipated chapter 3 of The Takoyaki Encounter! You remember that legendary elevator scene in the anime? Well, I made my own version here in this chapter! Hope you like it! This chapter is in Hibiki's POV. On to the show! :D

* * *

**CHAPTER 3**

The first month of getting to know Yamato Hotsuin was hard. Hard as aliens invading planet earth and destroying everything in seven days. In the first few weeks of his transfer to Tsuutenkaku High, he managed to rile me up in every turn. When he saw that I was the highest in class since the start of the year, he churned out perfectly graded tests and papers until we were neck-to-neck in grades. Actually making me work harder as my normal pace already gives me A+'s. Every time exam results were posted, he would stare at me with a gleam in his eye as we were once again locked in a grade stalemate, with either one of us lower than just by a point or even a half-point.

Then he joined Judo club, in which I was the assistant captain. He promptly rose through the ranks until until he was at a rank in which he could challenge me for my position, which he did in almost every meeting. He always manages to pull me into a match that either one of us wins or loses, as the second one never has the same story as the first.

So he's good in sports _and _academics, and despite his poor social skills and a penchant for saying the word "irrelevant", he's got hordes of swooning fangirls cheering for him and booing people who go against him. But strangely, they never heckle me when I go face him... _weird. _And lastly, he glares at any guy friend I have when they talk to me. Keita and Joe seem to be fine with him, Jungo as well because he never seems to be bothered by the _evil _and_ malicious_ aura of Yamato's death glares. As it was, Daichi bore the brunt of his wrath-filled gaze which made him as scared as heck of the guy. And Ronaldo Kuriki? They just loathed each other since they first laid eyes on one another.

Things just became weirder when Alcor also transferred midterm from Polaris U. He keeps on popping out of nowhere and getting up and personal in your face just to greet you. It seems he had a long-standing rivalry with Yamato in academics. It just strained the grades race between me and Yamato more as he claimed the number two spot, threatening to join the stalemate fray. He calls Yamato and me "Shining Ones" though he calls me more by that than Yamato. I wonder why he calls me by that 'cause I definitely don't feel shining at all nowadays.

After surviving another grueling day with the Yamato treatment, I exited my classroom and ran smack dab into Mr. Arrogant Prick himself. He was already standing at the announcement board were the results for the final exams were posted, looking indifferently. The exam ratings showed that he had taken the top spot with me trailing closely behind. The moment he saw me, he smirked, crossed his arms, and arched a challenging eyebrow at me. Then he turned and walked away without a word... saying nothing again as to why he was treating me this way. I just... snapped. Boiling in anger, I ran towards the swiftly retreating back, cornering the said man in an empty stairwell. I grabbed Yamato by the collar and shoved him against the wall.

"Why are you treating me this way?!" I demanded, shaking slightly in anger.

Yamato's eyes gleamed in response. His mouth quirked like he was smiling. Then what he said next shocked me to my core.

"It is because I want to break you into submission, Hibiki Kuze."

"...What?" I asked disbelievingly, my grip on his clothes slackening in my shock.

He pulled himself free of my grip, straightening his clothes. "You heard me, didn't you? I want to break you, to make submit, to make you _mine_, Hibiki Kuze." He focused his intense gaze at me and I shuddered, feeling that he was completely serious about his intentions.

"But... why?" I whispered, my head bowed and my hands fisted at my sides.

Yamato smirked deviously. "You are... interesting. Smart, strong, and full of hidden potential. Someone I want by my side as I create my own world. Now you are part of that dream as well, Hibiki Kuze. And you should know, Hibiki, that I pursue my goals very... aggressively." Slowly, he drew a finger from my neck to my chin, tipping my head back and making my wide-eyed gaze meet with his.

Snapping from disbelieving trance, I smacked his hand aside, blushing slightly. "Never! You've tormented me and my friends ever since I've met you! You expect me to submit to you after this ordeal? You must be crazy!" *I can't believe I got myself so riled up by this guy!*

He smirked again infuriatingly. "Try as you might, Hibiki Kuze, you _will _submit and you will be _mine_." Then he strode away, leaving me fuming in the empty stairwell.

"Oh yeah? Bring it on, Hotsuin! We'll see who'll submit to who when this battle's over!" I shouted at him as he walked away. He turned towards me, a ghost of a smile decorating his profile, acknowledging the inevitable fight for supremacy in the days ahead.

Tsuutenkaku High became basically a battleground for me and Yamato Hotsuin. The whole school was aflutter with the news of two senior high school students with stellar academic records duking it out academically and raking in the highest exam scores in history. The dojo we use in Judo practice matches was always packed with people, hoping to see us fight. When we do, we fought like demons, wrestling each other until we're tired and sweaty, and girls would swoon. Neither of us would give up and neither of us would back down. All the while, we acknowledged each other for our strength and had come to respect one another for it.

Days went by as my previously monotonous high school life was broken by this infuriating silver-haired man. Each and every day was challenging and exhausting but I... I was having fun. I'm having fun as Yamato and I glared daggers before delving into our exams... I'm having fun as I try to comfort Daichi after Yamato glares at him all the while he tries to talk to me... I'm even having fun as we took each other down, panting and sticky with sweat, in judo once again... It's hard to admit but as Yamato Hotsuin pulled my life into disarray, stirring me up and challenging everything I know, something changed in me. All I cared about before was grades and that was all that mattered to my parents. They even advised me not to hangout with Daichi, my best-friend since we were kids. I was getting ready to enter college, my standing good enough to get into premier universities. And yet I... I didn't know what I want. My world was in grey, trying to distance myself from my only best-friend, mechanically going through my days as we get closer and closer to graduation, and then... then it would be over. Suddenly, a flash of silver penetrated through the grey and brought color to the rest of the world. I noticed it and tried to chase it, reaching out to the infuriating smirk and the steel gray gaze... The man's smirk widening as my fingers brushed the palm of his outstretched hand...

"_I knew that you would be mine, Hibiki Kuze..."_

"Hibiki!"

I jerked awake, groggy from sleep. I realize that I had fallen asleep on my desk in the classroom, something that had never happened before.

"Hibiki, you awake, man?" Daichi loomed in front of me, brow furrowed in concern.

"Yeah, I'm awake... What's going on?" I sat up, rubbing my eyes blearily. I noticed that most of my class had gathered at the windows lining one side of the classroom.

"Its Yamato, Hibiki! Some black-suited guys arrived in front of the school on a limousine! Seems they're here for him. Yamato's out and meeting them at the gate!" Daichi said worriedly. Bless his soul, even when he's terrified of the guy, he still worries for him.

"What?" I stood up, looking out the window. Sure enough, Yamato was striding haughtily toward the black-suits clustered at rear of the limousine parked at the school's gate. The men all bowed cursorily to him. The sight prompted the class's speculations on Yamato's character. I heard whispers around me. _Prince... Mafia Boss... Young Master... _My grip tightened on the windowsill. I had spent a lot of time with Yamato, yet I never knew anything about him other than his being a prodigy and graduating from Polaris U.

The men, _bodyguards _I think, were indicating that Yamato enter the limo. I feel that someone's waiting for him inside, someone important, someone who wants to take him away from this place. Suddenly, I was struck by the feeling that if Yamato enters that vehicle, he will never return... That I will never see him again. I will never again be infuriated by that smug little smirk... be exasperated by his poor social skills... or be highly amused as he wolfs down takoyaki like a starving dragon... I will never again be impressed as he gets the highest score in the exam... be astounded by the smooth movements of his body as we fight... be flustered as he shamelessly expresses his intentions to _break _me, _possess _me, make me _his _in every way.

The door to the limo opened and Yamato was moving towards it. *No... Don't go...* My thoughts called desperately, but my body was frozen on the spot, my fists white-knuckled on the windowsill. Yamato leaned into the entryway, almost inside... *Please...!* A tear threatened to fall from my eye from the inexpressible feelings boiling inside me. Suddenly, Yamato stopped. He was speaking, saying a few choice words to the person inside the limo, then he turned away. He walked away from ostentatious car as the bodyguards seem to protest his leaving. But with one word from the seated man in the car, the guards stopped and all entered the car, driving away and leaving a small cloud of dust in their wake. The tear rolled down my cheek as thoughts of absolute relief and joy stole through me. Yamato looked up, up to classroom 3-A's windows and locked eyes with mine. My heart skipped a beat as his lips quirked in a smirk that he knew that had captured me.

"_I knew that you would be mine, Hibiki Kuze... And now, I am yours as well..."_


	4. Chapter 4: Confessions

**CHAPTER 4**

Hibiki ended his flashback with another sigh, going back to the present. He was leaning on his table, waiting for guests in Class 3-A's maid-and-butler cafe, and still wearing his ridiculous bunny maid outfit. *Its been another roller-coaster month since the limousine incident and the realization that this gray-eyed albino man has put color back to my life... What are the odds...? * Hibiki thought nostalgically. Then thoughts of the subsequent meeting in the empty stairwell and the takoyaki-flavored first kiss made him red to his ears again. *That Yamato... always so shameless! Someone would've walked by then!*

"...Are you thinking something inappropriate once again, Hibiki?" A deep, lustrous voice whispered right next to his ear.

"GYAHHH!" Hibiki jumped almost a foot into the air. "Stop sneaking up on me, Yamato!"

Yamato crossed his arms, amusement in his eyes. "...I have not. I have approached you with every intent to catch your attention. I do not "sneak" and pop out of nowhere. I am not Alcor, after all." Suddenly his smirk widened. "And I would like to know what has my _possession _so occupied... unless of course, they are thoughts of me as well."

"You... you..." Hibiki's blush was visible even under his fringe. "Baka!" He suddenly threw a punch at Yamato's direction.

Yamato caught the half-hearted punch easily, using the captured hand to pull Hibiki closer until they were almost flush with each other. "Well...? Were you thinking something inappropriate or thinking about me? Or are you thinking of me doing something inappropriate...to you?" Yamato whispered in Hibiki's blushing ear, unmindful of the squealing fangirls in the background.

Hibiki pulled away from the shameless silver-hair, scarlet staining his cheeks. "Stop... stop doing that, Yamato! This is school! This really isn't the place!" He exclaimed.

"Why not? Everyone knows. All your friends know that you are _mine_ now, Hibiki Kuze... And I could just buy the place if I want to..." Yamato stated matter-of-factly.

Hibiki sweat-dropped. "Um, please don't do that." *Its bad enough that he knows he owns me. He doesn't have to own the whole place himself!* Typical socially inept, insanely rich pretty boy. Yamato's back story was even more amazing than Hibiki thought. It turns out that Yamato is the heir of the biggest underground business conglomerate in Japan. The or Japan Prototypers is the shadow development team behind most of the companies in Japan and they range from pharmaceuticals, electronics, to spacecraft. Yamato was next in line to inherit it all. He was raised to head the since he was young and as a child, he tutored intensively in every subject there is. But in being raised that way, he grew up in isolation. He never had any friends to do "normal" stuff with. He was trained to be the best so everybody around him was either a servant, a subordinate or "irrelevant". Nothing and nobody challenged him much at all... *Apparently until I came along...*

"That is quite enough flirting, Yamato, Shining One." Alcor floated up to them, smiling mysteriously. He suddenly turned serious. "I require your help, Yamato Hotsuin."

Yamato crossed his arms. "...Alright, what is it, Alcor?"

"We are running out of food supplies. I have gathered the 'butlers'..." Alcor motioned at my male friends trailing behind him: Jungo, standing tall and silent as usual, Keita, who was fuming, and Daichi, trying to hide behind Jungo to avoid Yamato's gaze. "...to help carry the boxes of food from the school's storage room while the 'maids' continue serving our guests here. And I would like to ask for your assistance as well."

"I thought Nishijima was in charge of the supplies." Yamato glared at Daichi, who yelped and dove behind Jungo.

"Yes, but it seems that our cafe is much more popular than anticipated. It is near the closing time but people are still multiplying in the line in front of our classroom like Mizar." Alcor smirked like he had planned this all along.

"Yeah, Yamato, don't be so hard on Daichi." Hibiki muttered for the umpteenth time. *Seriously, after all this time, he shouldn't think of Daichi as competition! He's my best friend, it's different!* "Can I help, Alcor?"

Alcor smiled even wider. "I appreciate the offer, Shining One... But you are a 'maid'. It would not be appropriate for our blue-eyed white rabbit to be burdened with such a task." Alcor bowed to Hibiki like a perfect butler.

Hibiki blushed while Yamato aimed a death glare at Alcor. Impervious to the promise of death in Yamato's gaze, Alcor turned and walked breezily to the classroom door. "Coming, Yamato?" He called.

Yamato stopped glaring and sighed. He looked sideways to Hibiki, whose cheeks were again stained with pink. *So easily embarrassed... But that is one thing I like about you, Hibiki Kuze, among many of your traits... Hmm, let's see if I can make you blush more of that pretty pink...* He thought deviously.

Yamato grabbed Hibiki's hand, startling him. He pressed his lips upon the slender limb, watching smugly as Hibiki's blush spread to the roots of his hair. "Be right back, beautiful..." He let go of Hibiki's hand, his fingers tingling as if loath to abandon the other's warmth, and followed Alcor out of the room.

Hibiki clutched his hand to his chest, the one that was just recently held by Yamato Hotsuin, hardly noticing the two guys who had settled themselves on his table.

"Um, sir- miss? Could we take our order now?" One of them hesitatingly asked, breaking Hibiki from his revelry.

"Ah, yes, okay. What would our guests want today?" Hibiki said distractedly while the men openly ogled him. In light of Yamato's possessiveness, Hibiki had realized that a lot of guys viewed him with desire in their eyes. Yamato acted like this was expected and just guarded him like an overzealous dragon with his glares and intimidating nature. Hibiki was unused to the idea of other men liking him that way but Yamato simply held him and said that he was his possession and that other people are "irrelevant". And now... he was starting to believe the words of the silver-hair as the men's stares made him blush slightly but the appreciation he felt in their gaze was nowhere near the intensity of Yamato's gleaming gray eyes whenever he looked at him. *I have been totally owned by this arrogant, infuriating, shameless silver-haired prick...* He chuckled slightly, earning him a few bewildered gazes from the customers. But Hibiki didn't mind. He could finally admit it... He could finally admit that he had fallen... Fallen in love with the man named Yamato Hotsuin.


	5. Chapter 5: Daichi the super-bro

**CHAPTER 5**

Yamato trailed slightly behind Daichi, watching slightly amused as the yellow-scarfed boy seemed to shrink upon himself, sneaking nervous glances behind him. The boy's head almost disappeared into his scarf in his anxiety. Yamato sighed, it was probably his presence that was the cause of Daichi's unease. He hadn't been exactly cordial with his lover's best friend. Daichi, with his timidness, slight flakiness and average marks, was exactly the type of people he was trained to see as "irrelevant". And, since he was a child he could not tolerate "irrelevant" people. But his lover made him realize a lot of things. "Friends" are not irrelevant, schoolmates are not irrelevant, even the people in the street are not irrelevant. In fact, Hibiki showed him that no one is irrelevant. The boy had the heart of a saint, which probably made it possible for him to break into the wall Yamato had built around himself.

Daichi sneaked other nervous glance at Yamato. Yamato sighed once more, thinking that it's high time he talked to the timid boy.

"Alcor!" He called. The brown-haired boy jumped a little at the sound of his raised voice.

"Yes...?" Alcor stopped float-walking.

"Go on ahead, I wish to speak with Nishijima alone." He said firmly while Daichi froze comically, looking as if he saw a ghost. He looked positively terrified at the idea of being alone with the Hotsuin.

"All right, but don't take too long, Yamato Hotsuin." Alcor walked along, Jungo and Keita having a one-sided argument behind him.

"..." The two of them were silent, one in contemplation, the other in bated anxiety. Then Yamato decided to get it over with. He closed his eyes and folded his arms.

"...I apologize." He said, not needing to open his eyes to know that Daichi was gawking at him in surprise. "I have not been acting fairly to you, Nishijima."

With a little huff, he opened his eyes. Yes, the the brown-haired boy was still gawking. Yamato became slightly annoyed at the boy's dumbfounded look. *For Christ's sake, please close your mouth before something enters it!* He thought exasperatedly. *This boy has enough jaw-drops to fill an entire comics section.*

Grimacing, he continued. "You are Hibiki Kuze's best friend. You are not irrelevant to him. And by extension, you should not be irrelevant to me either. And I'm... sorry that I've treated you as such." He grudgingly ended his apology. This was as much as his pride could allow. He hoped it was enough for his love's best friend to understand.

Daichi stared at him. Thankfully he had already closed his mouth. Daichi looked serious as his brown eyes finally met the Hotsuin's gaze, as though looking for his sincerity in his gray orbs. Yamato was surprised that the boy could pull off such a melancholy vibe. Maybe there was more to him than he thought...

Daichi suddenly laughed, bewildering the Hotsuin. He doubled over, laughing harder when he saw the confused look on Yamato's face. The silver-hair felt a surge of anger and annoyance at the boy's reaction.

"What's so funny?" He growled as Daichi chuckled some more.

"Ahahaha... I'm sorry, man... It's just that..." Daichi had tears of laughter in his eyes. "Saying sorry just isn't like you, Yamato Hotsuin."

"..." Yamato had nothing to say to that. Indeed, he could hardly remember the last time he apologized to someone. People usually apologized to _him_, not the other way around.

"But, dude, seriously, thank you for the effort." Daichi said sincerely. "...And I forgive you."

"...Thank you, Daichi." The yellow-scarfed boy gave a little start when Yamato said his first name, but he smiled.

"No biggie, it was the way you had to act since you were a kid, right?" This time it was Yamato who was startled into silence by Daichi's words. "But you're changing... For the better it seems. I was worried when Hibiki came to like a hot shot like you, but it seems you're not so bad after all."

The brown eyes suddenly turned fierce. "But don't ever make him cry like that ever again." Yamato was actually taken aback by the intensity in the boy's eyes. "I saw that, you know? When he thought that you were leaving and not coming back. He was always the strongest of all of us and I want him to stay that way."

Yamato understood. He understood completely what Daichi felt. "I promise you, Daichi Nishijima, that Hibiki will always be the strongest among us. Just as I hold sway of over him, he holds more sway over me."

Daichi held his gaze for a while longer. "Good!" He grinned, breaking the solemn atmosphere. "We'd better hurry and catch up to Alcor. They'll need help carrying those boxes!" The formerly timid boy walked away with a spring his step, as if a weight was pulled off him. Yamato chuckled lightly. *You very fortunate, Hibiki... that you have friends such as these.*

He followed the sound of the fluttering yellow scarf. As he did so, he looked at the school grounds, searching for the takoyaki stand. His eyes caught some sort of disturbance among the school festival crowds. He saw a group of punks who all looked the same, save for the color of their hair and clothes. He had a feeling he had seen them before...

"Yamato? Let's go! What are you waiting for?" Daichi called at the end of the corridor.

"I'm coming." Yamato walked faster to the boy, but he can't shake the feeling of foreboding that had settled within him. But he kept his thoughts to himself as he followed Daichi down to the school's storeroom.

* * *

Its a bird! Its a plane! No, its Daichi-super broooo! Hehe, I don't want Daichi to stay the poor terrified schmuck he was with Yamato. After all, he was the one who said that tears-worthy parting speech in the last battle with Yamato in Alcor's path...

Nyoooo! I got reminded of that again! Dammit, Yamato, you baka! *cries in the corner* Well, I smell trouble brewing in the next chapter. What could it be? Tune in for the next chapter of The Takoyaki Encounter! ;)


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